Brigadeiros

Chewy, fudgy, addictive. These little chocolate fudge balls are as common and well-loved in Brazil as cookies and brownies are in the United States. Traditionally, brigadeiros are a simple mixture of condensed milk, sweetened cocoa powder, and butter, cooked to a fudge state then formed into little balls and rolled in chocolate sprinkles. I find this to be much too sweet, so I made a few changes to the original recipe, adding real chocolate, real cocoa powder, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Unless I know the chocolate sprinkles are made with real chocolate, like the ones from Guittard or Cocoa Barry, I prefer to use cocoa powder or grated chocolate for rolling—and the result is amazing. This is a perfect dessert to give as a gift for any occasion. Children will love it and so will adults.–Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

LC Contemporary Classic Note

We, too, find the traditional brigadeiros to be rather cloying. But this contemporary classic rendition from Leticia Moreinos Schwartz? Just try to stop reaching for another.

Directions

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the condensed milk, butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup to a gentle boil.

2. When the mixture starts to bubble, add the chocolate and the cocoa powder. Whisk well to prevent any pockets of cocoa powder.

3. Reduce the heat to low and cook the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly, until it is the consistency of a dense, fudgy batter, 8 to 10 minutes. You want it to bubble only toward the end of cooking, so it’s important to use low heat otherwise the chocolate will scorch. It’s done when you swirl the pan and the mixture slides as one soft piece, leaving a thick burnt residue on the bottom—that’s as it should be. If you undercook the chocolate mixture, the brigadeiros will be too soft; if you overcook them, they’ll be too chewy.

4. Slide the chocolate mixture into a bowl (without scraping the bottom of the pan) and let cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chocolate mixture for at least 4 hours.

5. Scoop the chocolate mixture by the teaspoonful and, using your hands, roll it into a little ball about 3/4 inch in diameter (roughly the size of a chocolate truffle). Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture.

6. Place the sprinkles in a bowl. Roll 4 to 6 brigadeiros in the sprinkles, making sure to cover the entire surface. Store them in an airtight plastic container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 month in the refrigerator.